Interpretation
by Amarissia
Summary: Before Zack and Sephiroth's relationship began, there was Lt. Welman and the Winter Solstice fiasco. Part of the Decorum series.


_Another in the Decorum series! Okay, anyone remember, in "Inhibitions", Zack mentioned to Cloud a Winter Solstice fiasco involving a Lieutenant Welman? Well, I thought it was an amusing story, so here it is. As always, I adore hearing what you think._

_This takes place after "Impressions" and before all the others. I know I've been stuck in a Zack-and-Angeal rut lately (the "Madness" demands it, bwa ha) but I promise I will get back to the Sephiroth/Zack/Cloud stuff soon._

_I own the people I made up, SquareEnix owns the people they made up, I own my yaoi-ish interpretations, but seriously, SE certainly does nothing to discourage them. :)_

_BTW, if anyone_ _can tell me where to find info about these fan club emails you can get in Crisis Core (for the Sephiroth, Angeal, etc. clubs) I'd be very grateful!_

**INTERPRETATION**

"I just saw something very interesting, Seph," Angeal remarked from the open doorway.

"Really?" The I'm-a-busy-scary-general-who-does-not-have-time-for-this voice never worked on Angeal, but Sephiroth tried it every now and then anyway.

"Yes. Edwards from the Public Relations department fleeing down the hallway with a holly wreath, being chased by a chair-wielding Levine."

"Ah. That is interesting."

"Normally you simply rip the wreath down and shred it, and we use the resulting confetti for New Years'."

Sephiroth shrugged, looking up from the report he was reading at last, now that he was certain Angeal was not going to go away. "I shredded the first two. Edwards is unusually persistent this year, and Levine - "

" - would punch his own mother for looking at you wrong," Angeal finished, smiling. "You still hate Winter Solstice, huh? Remember the year you decided to spare the wreath, and we decapitated a bunch of dolls to give it a more worthwhile theme?"

It had been Genesis's idea; this was often the closest they could come to mentioning him. "Yes, I do. The other 1sts quite liked it and sang 'Deck the Halls With Heads of Hojo' in our honor."

"It was priceless. I hadn't seen him so annoyed since that week you spent calling him Dr. Not-Gast."

Angeal winced internally as Sephiroth abruptly turned away. He didn't know much about Gast, having come to ShinRa when the man was already a forbidden subject and one the company seemed eager to forget. For a best friend, Angeal often felt he knew remarkably little about the years of Sephiroth's life he hadn't been a part of. From the little Sephiroth had said and the more he implied with expression and tone, Dr. Gast had been perhaps the one figure in his early youth who had loved him and treated him as a child, not a specimen or a valuable trophy. When Sephiroth described Dr. Gast as a much better scientist than Hojo, it always seemed he was trying to say more than that.

"Anyway, Seph, I need to speak to you about the party."

The general frowned. As though it were not enough that he disliked holidays, he always felt absolutely out of place at parties, even one that was populated by his 1st Classes. They were used to him, at least, and didn't stare or subject him to awkward silences, though they did have a long-standing goal to get him drunk at least once and it was no good explaining that he wasn't sure such a thing was possible. Worse than that, social situations only reminded Sephiroth of how different he was; they were far more uncomfortable than any battlefield. At least he knew the rules of war.

"By the way, I got Lieutenant Altair. Any ideas?"

There was another reason to dislike the annual Winter Solstice party - the secret gift-exchange. No matter how patiently Angeal explained it, the obligation of gift-giving always seemed oxymoronic to Sephiroth. If the true purpose of a gift was to show good intent toward a person, did not being forced to give it render the entire act meaningless? At least Sephiroth didn't have to worry, as the others did, about whether his gift would be liked and appreciated. It was the same every year - the receiver's choice of any two weeks of the year, off with full pay.

"Who'd you get this year?" Angeal was asking.

"Lydon."

"I can't think of anyone who deserves it more, he's an excellent SOLDIER and he's got a new daughter he hardly gets to see." Angeal smiled knowingly. "You rigged it, didn't you?"

"Why would I do such a thing?" He did, every year.

"If you say so. Look," Angeal said, his tone going serious, "would you mind if I brought Zack to the party?"

Sephiroth's eyes dropped back to his desk. "Don't the 3rds have their party on the same night?"

"Yes, but I'm not entirely comfortable with the thought of leaving Zack, alcohol and a bunch of other teenagers to their own devices. They're always egging him on to follow his most mischievous impulses. Besides, he gets along better with the 1sts and they've been asking all week if I'll bring him."

"The ones who still find you too serious, I'm guessing."

"Apparently I'm more amusing with a seventeen-year-old rolling his eyes at me. If it's a problem, Seph - "

"Why would I have a problem?" The question came out oddly, like the general was actually hoping for an answer.

"Well, sometimes it seems like you're uncomfortable around him."

"Uncomfortable?" Sephiroth looked perplexed. "The boy is a good SOLDIER, Angeal, but I could snap his neck easily if I needed to."

"There's a difference between uncomfortable and intimidated. And that's another thing, those death threats of yours. If you really don't like Zack, I can keep him away from you, but every time I offer to, you decline."

"I don't dislike your puppy," Sephiroth said softly, "and I am not going to kill him. I use the expression merely to indicate an occasional annoyance with certain aspects of his personality."

Angeal looked mollified, but not by much. "I can tell him to stay clear of you."

"That would not be helpful. Fair will be one of my 1sts within a few years, and an excellent one. It's better that we learn to deal with one another now."

"He only means well by being so friendly. Zack isn't used to people not liking him, so I think he doesn't quite know how to react when it happens."

Sephiroth looked up with a strange, confused sadness in his silver eyes. "Is that what he believes? That I do not like him?"

Angeal sighed. "I'm not sure what he thinks. I know he sees the same thing I do - you being patient with him and perfectly pleasant whenever the two of you meet. But that episode in the VR Room..."

"I have not reproached him for that, nor will I ever do so. As far as I am concerned, the incident is forgotten." It was anything but. The memory of the sorrow in Fair's eyes sometimes kept him up at night.

"I'm grateful for that, Seph. Zack doesn't embarrass easily, but when he does he feels it very acutely and takes a while to get over it. I think, in wanting to be your friend, he's trying to get over you."

"I see no reason why he and I should not be friends."

Angeal looked surprised. "Really?"

"At times, his lack of intimidation is difficult for me," Sephiroth admitted, "but I also find it refreshing. Fair is likable, as you say, and even were he not, he is important to you."

Angeal smiled. "I think it would be good for the two of you to be friends. You need more than just me, even if you don't realize that. The other 1sts may adore you, but too few people _know_ you."

"I think you overestimate the value of such things. Or, perhaps, I am merely different. Isn't that what we were always told as children?"

"Zack worries that you may be lonely," Angeal said after a short pause.

"I don't think I have ever felt such a thing."

"Maybe that in itself is a kind of loneliness," the commander mused, heading for the door and pausing to turn back. "What do I have to threaten you with this year to make _you_ come to the party?"

"You need not threaten at all. I will be there." Sephiroth deliberately ignored Angeal's surprise. "Bring Fair if you like, but I believe it's too late to let him take part in the gift exchange."

"It's better this way, believe me. He would use the opportunity for mischief and I would end up apologizing all night for it."

"Why are you smiling, then?"

"Because the others are right when they say he's got me wrapped around his little finger." Angeal laughed softly. "Sometimes I wonder who's training who. Thank Gaia Zack pushes himself so hard. I'm not sure _I'd_ be able to do it. It's ridiculous how he affects me."

Shaking his head, Angeal left the office just as Levine came in and began to feed the confiscated wreath to a paper-shredder. The noise was loud enough that no one heard Sephiroth say what he did next, hardly even himself.

"You are not the only one to feel that way, Angeal."

_sazsaz_

Walking next to Zack was like having a ball dribbled right beside you, Angeal thought. The boy bounced on every step, like he was trying to be taller, or he just couldn't hold all that energy without letting it out somehow. You'd think he was on his way to an exciting battle instead of a party which would be completely lacking in people his own age.

"So, Sephiroth's definitely gonna be there?" Zack asked as they neared their destination.

Aha. "He said so."

"He's not still mad about the, uh..." Bounce bounce bounce.

"No."

"Or the VR Room?" Bounce pause bounce.

"He assures me it's forgotten. You can talk to him, Zack."

"Okay. If I say something stupid, will you whack me on the head?"

"With a rolled-up newspaper."

"You're forgetting to repress again," Zack groaned, rolling his eyes.

The room they entered was normally the biggest conference room, spanning a large portion of the main building's sixth floor, but tonight had been decorated with green, white and red, the colors of Winter Solstice. Aromatic pine branches wound with shimmering ribbons and holly wreaths dotted with berries made the normally austere atmosphere festive, decidedly un-military. A small band was set up in the corner and playing a song that vividly evoked the cold weather outside and the cheery warmth within. Commander Hitchcock, the 1st who was closest to Angeal (except Sephiroth) waved to them from a small group near the bar.

"Hey Zack! I thought of another one!"

Angeal groaned inwardly. If Hitchcock kept this up, Zack would soon know every embarrassing story about his mentor that there was. Zack giggled wickedly and started to zoom off, not getting far before he was caught by the wrist.

"Hey! Angeeeeal..."

"Listen first. Are you listening? That clear stuff in the square bottles is Wutaian ale and it's very, very strong, even for 1sts. I don't want you near it, okay?"

"Okay, okay!"

Angeal let him go. Not wishing to hear whatever cringe-worthy tale Hitchcock was about to revisit, he gravitated over to Lieutenants Morgan and Dunley. At least with them he could engage in a serious, adult conversation about new weapon models and ideas for improving program efficiency. Unfortunately, Hitchcock's voice was a rather booming one, with a tendency to carry.

"...so we're racing up the stairs of the Honeybee and we burst into the room, and instead of the arms dealers we come face to face with a young woman, nearly naked, having just finished with a customer. And she stares at us and we stare at her, and she flies into a rage and starts hitting Angeal with her handbag, and he just stands there, stammering apologies..."

Angeal pretended not to listen. That had not been one of his proudest moments, and nor was this. He could hear Zack's laughter even over Hitchcock, and couldn't summon up any anger.

_sazsaz_

Sephiroth observed the progress of the party from one of the room's dark corners. Despite his height and eye-catching appearance, he had little trouble blending into the shadows when he wanted to. The 1sts knew he was there, of course, but it was an unwritten rule among them that the general would join the party when he wished to and until then he was not to be bothered. He learned by watching other people, though to his annoyance he had not been able to take his eyes off Fair since he'd come in.

He was standing in a group of SOLDIERs, listening to Hitchcock recount amusing stories from Angeal's past. Most of the 1sts, like Hitchcock, were fond of Zack, aware that he would be one of their best in a few years and in the meantime regarding him as a sort of Class pet. Donnelly, unpleasant, unremarkable Donnelly acted like it was beneath his dignity to speak to a 3rd, but then Donnelly was jealous of Angeal and everyone else who had more talent than himself. Even eccentric Zane spoke well of Zack, but that might have more to do with the spiky, chocobo-like hair than Fair's pleasant personality.

_Fortunate that Fair is not blond. The mere sight of him would set Zane back in his therapy._

Sephiroth tore his gaze from Fair and found Angeal, not far away, careful not to hover but keeping an eye on his student. He considered it important that Zack be on good terms with as many of the 1sts as possible, as it would then not be quite so hard when he became a 1st himself, and found himself surrounded by older men who had come to know him as Angeal's puppy. Sephiroth suspected that Angeal wasn't so much concerned Zack would make trouble as he was incapable of not worrying. He had been very careful to warn the boy about Wutaian ale, after all, and Sephiroth was thinking that the stuff must be somewhat overrated, however many times he had seen his own 1sts knocked down by it.

_Or..._ Sephiroth looked at the two empty square bottles beside him, wishing he could smash them without making a scene. Commander Settoku had jovially greeted him with these and been pleasantly surprised when the general accepted them. They still were determined to see their beloved leader drunk at least once, and Sephiroth liked the idea of escaping his thoughts for awhile. But he felt no change, aside from the faintest warmth in his usually cool fingers. _Or I am simply different._

It had never been an especially pleasant thought, never something Sephiroth took pride in. But it had been easier for him as a child, when he excelled at everything he undertook and pleased everybody with his skill and loyalty, and had no idea that everyone he fought with and against was capable of something he was not. Plenty of his 1sts were married or in relationships, including the ones Sephiroth had been casually involved with himself. All found or at least wanted what he could not give, what he might very well never have. Angeal lived as Sephiroth did, but because he was devoted to his work and hadn't found the right one yet, not because he was incapable of love. Fair was proof of that, and Sephiroth himself. But maybe Genesis...if he had lived...

Sephiroth drew one knee up onto the seat by the window and rested his chin on it. Genesis was only a memory now, lost to madness and deterioration. He could remember Angeal crying, and Hollander, and feeling a cold inside that would not go away and had only thawed slightly over time. He could remember Hojo's attempt at reassurance that couldn't hide his triumph: "That will never happen to you."

_Because I am different._ He knew he should report this wistful feeling to Hojo as he was supposed to report everything, but he didn't want a lecture about human weakness and how he was supposed to be above it. Sephiroth didn't want to confess his preoccupation with Fair and be told it was sexual attraction, regrettable but easily remedied, just have him and you'll be over it. Because that's the way it is, Sephiroth, you should be thankful that you are incapable of love and the stupidity it reduces men to.

"Shut up," Sephiroth whispered, saying to the Hojo in his head what he didn't dare say to the doctor in person. Yes, it was better, all things considered, that he not love and inspire no more feeling in other people than he already did. All things considered, especially the thing he tried never to think about...

But it _was_ different with Fair. He was very, very attractive, you'd have to be blind not to see that, but Sephiroth knew that having him once or twice or ten times (even if Angeal allowed it) would not be enough. It wasn't merely sexual desire, that was the puzzling thing. If it was, he would not be so inexplicably bothered by the time Angeal spent with Fair, the ease with which he put his arm around the boy, the soft, irrepressible smile Angeal wore when Zack hugged him or did something well. He wouldn't dislike the other 3rds for their anonymity and the ability of any one of them to be close to Fair, as a friend or something more. He wouldn't feel his eyes going green at the sight of Hitchcock amiably clapping a hand on Zack's shoulder. It was innocent, of course, Hitchcock was married and ten years Zack's senior, so why -

"Uh, General?"

Sephiroth blinked to clear his eyes and locked them on the approaching man. Lt. Lydon, a 1st Class for only a year by this time, well-liked and an excellent SOLDIER, but apparently still new enough to look nervous. Sephiroth forced a faint smile and gestured him closer. Fear was useful in maintaining distance, but he didn't want it from his 1sts.

Good, Lydon appeared to relax. "Sorry to disturb you, sir - "

"Sephiroth."

A slight widening of the eyes, but a good-natured grin followed it. "Sephiroth. I was worried I might not catch you before you left, so I wanted to say, sir, I know you got me in the gift-exchange, and, uh, thank you."

Sephiroth nodded slowly. "You are married, correct?"

"Yes, Lena and I have been together about a year."

"Is such a relationship not difficult to maintain?"

Lydon seemed startled by the general's interest. "Yes, it can be. But she has her family in Mideel to look after her, and I get out there whenever I can. It's hard sometimes, but worth it."

"Yes, that's what I have heard. I suppose I must take their word for it, and yours."

The general sounded almost sad. Lydon wondered, having seen for himself that Sephiroth was not at all the uncaring war machine he was rumored to be, if he was seeing an even deeper glimpse into Sephiroth's humanity. Loneliness. No one, after all, was like him, no one was on his level, no one could know how he felt. How could even someone so controlled and remarkable be alone and not feel the sting of it?

"If you'll excuse my saying so," Lydon began bravely, "aren't you a bit young to be giving up on that for yourself?"

"Nearly twenty-two."

Lydon's jaw dropped, and Sephiroth smiled ruefully. He and Angeal were both so long in the program and so highly-ranked that it was rarely remembered that they were two of the youngest 1st Classes. They had begun their military careers before they were teenagers, giving them an experience that belied their ages. Angeal looked older, always had, and Sephiroth's legend resisted such human factors as a date of birth.

"It's all right," he said, as a kindness to Lydon's voiceless stammering. "People are always surprised."

"You've got a lot of time, then," Lydon said, having recovered nicely. "If you'll excuse me again, sir, I would think you'd have less trouble finding a partner than...well...anyone."

"It is not them. It is me. I lack certain human capabilities," Sephiroth explained, amazed that he was speaking of this even to one of his 1sts.

"I know a lot of people think that, s-Sephiroth. But I've seen, we all have, the way you look out for us. We know you care about us, and that's a very human thing to do. The right person for you will come along. Until then, not having that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you. Uh, sir."

Sephiroth's faint smile was nearly hidden behind the shimmering curtain of silver hair, and he seemed to be constantly glancing at something across the room and then forcing his eyes away from it. He looked at the lieutenant at last, and gestured elegantly to the empty bottles at his feet.

"I don't know about that. I seem to be immune to intoxication, as I had suspected I would be. The others will be very disappointed."

Lydon laughed, elated to be doing so in Sephiroth's company. "I'm sure your tolerance is just greater than ours. Let me get you another bottle."

Lt. Matheson had joined Hitchcock's group, a new 1st Class, closer to Fair's age than the others. He greeted Zack and slung an arm around the boy's shoulders to squeeze him, no doubt friendlier than usual under the influence of alcohol and the festive atmosphere. Zack smiled back, not edging closer but making no effort to get further away. Angeal continued to watch, but he had no reason to interfere. Sephiroth had no reason either, at least not any he understood, so why did he feel like breaking something?

"Very well."

_sazsaz_

Zack was, in fact, a little annoyed by Matheson's proximity, and bearing it only for the sake of politeness and a fear that he might embarrass Angeal if he acted offended. Zack hadn't seen Sephiroth yet but knew he was either around somewhere or would be soon, and he didn't want to be observed standing this close to anyone, though he knew of course that Sephiroth was unlikely to care, or even notice.

"Hey, Angeal!" an unsteady voice called.

"Uh-oh," Matheson murmured to Zack, "looks like Welman's been hitting the Junon brandy a bit too hard."

"He's not gonna try to pick a fight with Angeal, is he?"

"I doubt it. Welman gets stupid when he drinks, not suicidal. But maybe you should stay close to me, just in case."

"Uh, that's okay, thanks, sir," Zack said quickly, smiling and gently detaching himself from Matheson. "I'm sure it's okay. I'll go see."

As Zack bounced up to Angeal's side, he found Lt. Welman was indeed drunk, which was no easy thing for a man with a 1st-Class level of mako in his system. With over-bright eyes and a slight slur in his speech, Welman handed Angeal a brightly-wrapped package and said, "Happy Solstice. Oh, good, Zack, you'll want to see this."

"Thank you," Angeal said, accepting the gift.

"Is it something to make him more fun?" Zack teased, ducking a light slap from his mentor.

"It's something for both of you," Welman chuckled, giving them a strange wink. "Go on, Angeal, open it now."

The small crowd observing this echoed the request, all curious to see what the present was. More resigned than eager, Angeal began to rip off the holly tree-patterned paper.

"Bet he's hoping it's tranquilizer darts," Commander Dawson laughed, ruffling Zack's hair.

"You guys are mean," Zack complained with a pout.

The paper fell away to reveal a plain white box. Angeal patiently removed the lid from it, and within a few seconds, every onlooker had fallen into a shocked silence. Angeal's eyes narrowed and went green, looking at Zack first before focusing on their target, flaring brighter to see the boy's horrified expression. It's very possible that Lt. Welman, grinning and inebriated as he was, never knew what hit him.

_sazsaz_

Scowling soberly, Sephiroth had just put down the empty Wutainese ale bottle when the commotion struck his senses and made him look up. For a moment, he thought he must actually be drunk. That would have made more sense than Angeal throwing Lt. Welman out the window.

While Lydon stared in shock, as many were doing, Sephiroth sprang up and was at the broken window in an instant. A glance out assured him that his SOLDIER was still alive - it took more than a sixty-foot drop to kill or even permanently injure a 1st Class. Strangely, no one seemed to be moving, or doing anything but avoiding each other's eyes.

"Hitchcock, alert the med lab," Sephiroth said, telling himself he needed to speak to Angeal even though his eyes were searching for Fair.

"Yes, sir." Hitchcock didn't seem to be in any particular hurry.

Scandalized whispering had broken out all over the room. Sephiroth ignored it and headed back to the window, where Fair was peering out, facing away from the general. Angeal was standing nearby, stoically still as usual, but mako green was fading from his eyes and he was frowning darkly.

"You only have one solution for every problem, don't you?" Zack asked him dryly, his voice strange and quieter than was normal. "First Atsui, now - "

"He'll live, and learn from this," Angeal said, speaking tensely but looking at his student now with concern. "You should probably not learn from my example at times like this."

Fair said nothing.

"Get back from there, Zack. Are you all right?" Angeal took Zack's arm and drew him away from the broken glass. "Puppy."

"I'm fine," Zack insisted softly, looking up toward Angeal at last, though his hair fell forward and obscured his face from Sephiroth's view. "I knew that nickname would end up causing trouble."

"I hardly think most people interpret it the way Welman did."

"Does, you mean. He's not dead."

"He will be if he doesn't see the error of his ways."

Zack groaned, Angeal patted the boy's hair, and the unpleasant feeling this brought up in Sephiroth snapped him out of his silence. "Commander. Am I to understand you just pushed a fellow SOLDIER out of that window?"

"Hurled, actually. Yes."

"I hope you have a very good reason."

Angeal glanced at Zack, whose face was hidden in his hand. "Maybe we should do this in private, Seph."

"We will do this right here, right now."

With a sigh of frustration, Angeal picked up the discarded white box and held it out. Sephiroth examined the contents, and found them quite puzzling. A bowl of the sort a domesticated animal might eat from. A headband with pointed, furry ears attached to it. A smooth cylindrical object with what appeared to be a tail extending from one end of it. A black leather leash. A collar with a tag that read 'Zack' dangling from it. Sephiroth looked up, frowning with confusion.

"You have a dog named Zack?"

Angeal rolled his eyes, just slightly, and indicated his apprentice with the briefest of nods. Sephiroth looked again at the furry ears and the plug attached to the tail. As his own sexual experiences had been fairly unadventurous ones, it took him a moment to realize what they were intended for.

"Ah. I see."

"Seph, whatever you decide, I'll accept," Angeal said in a low voice. "But I'd prefer to leave Zack out of our discussion."

Far from trying to justify his actions or worrying about what his general would do, Angeal was still looking at Zack, whose face was still tilted downward and concealed by a hand. Sephiroth wondered what Angeal was attempting to see, and if Angeal too noticed that Fair was taking up less space than usual. Rather than bouncing, the boy seemed to be scrunched up where he stood, like he didn't want to be seen.

"Is something wrong with him?" Sephiroth asked Angeal, in a whisper.

"He's embarrassed and hurt, Seph. Puppy, it's okay."

Zack finally let his hand fall back to his side, revealing cheeks that were faintly tinged with pink and eyes that were glued brightly and uncomfortably to the floor. The look on his face was one Sephiroth knew, one he remembered. The VR Training Room where Zack confessed his love to what he thought was a hologram, the lovely blue eyes that were becoming wet, the beautiful face wearing an unhappy expression that stung Sephiroth's heart to think of. That was what hurt and embarrassment looked like on a face that should never have to wear them, and now Sephiroth was seeing it again. All of his controlled and calm displeasure toward Angeal shifted immediately to Welman, becoming less controlled and distant, becoming anger mixed up with the earlier unpleasant feeling and combining into something he didn't comprehend.

Angeal was petting the teenager's hair again, and this time Sephiroth didn't mind, because he knew the gesture was comforting for Fair. "I'm sorry, Puppy."

"Not your fault. But you're not really helping when you act like that."

"Like what?"

"A jealous boyfriend."

Angeal shook his head. "Ridiculous."

"I know that, and you know that, but clearly that's how other people interpret it."

"One person," Angeal corrected.

"Ha," Zack laughed mirthlessly, "you think Welman's the first one to suggest - "

"Have other people bothered you about this? Who?" Angeal demanded.

"I can't tell you, you'll just fling them down an elevator shaft or something."

"Well, _we_ know the truth. The perverted imaginations of certain individuals are not our problem."

"Couldn't you have just yelled or something? Did you have to nearly cripple the guy?"

"I did perhaps overreact," Angeal admitted. "I regret that. I was not thinking, or at least not thinking of what I was doing."

"Only of me?" Zack guessed, and at last gave a tiny smile. He stepped closer and Angeal was the one who initiated the hug this time, and Zack didn't much care who saw it or what they thought. "Thank you. But seriously, you've got to tone it down."

"Jealous," Sephiroth said softly to himself, staring intently at the pair of them. "The feeling was...jealousy."

"I'm not jealous, Seph, and I'm not his boyfriend," Angeal said with a frown.

"Yeah, that would be creepy. No offense, Angeal."

"None taken, Puppy." Angeal looked at his closest friend, who seemed to be lost in thought. "What's the verdict? Banishment to the Northern Crater?"

"You hurt Welman," Sephiroth said slowly, trying to sort this out, "because you care about Fair, and he was upset."

"Yes. I was acting on instinct. Not that that's any excuse, but sometimes it's hard to resist."

"And you feel better now?" Angeal nodded, and Sephiroth shifted his gaze to Zack. "And you, Fair?"

"I'm fine, sir," the 3rd Class said quietly, turning faintly pink again and stepping back a little from his mentor. "Please don't send Angeal to the Northern Crater. Or if you do, at least let me go with him."

"That's no environment for a puppy," Angeal said with a smile. "Besides, what if someone there makes an inappropriate comment? It's a long way down from the top of the Northern Crater to the bottom. Do we really want to risk that severe an injury to someone?"

"You're forgetting to repress, _again_. Can we bury that box somewhere where no one will ever find it?"

"Oh, I don't know. I think you won't cause me nearly as much trouble if I have a collar to threaten you with," Angeal teased.

"See, that's exactly the kind of thing that makes people misinterpret us."

"People can think whatever they want."

"Until you push them out a window or shove them off a Da Chao statue, you mean. Hey, where's Sephiroth going?"

"I don't know. Seph?"

The general had been heading toward the exit, with purposeful steps and Masamune drawn and held in his left hand. When Angeal's call reached him, he turned to face them with luminescent eyes and a calm, decided expression, the very picture of unstoppable intent after a brief struggle. "It was only six floors," Sephiroth said by way of explanation, "he is almost certainly still alive," and then he was gone.

"Oh, hell," Angeal swore, and hurried after him, unsure how serious Sephiroth was being. Completely, was the only safe answer to assume.

Zack followed, cheered up and amused by this turn of events. "Is Sephiroth always this interesting at the Winter Solstice party?"

"No. It's usually like pulling teeth just to get him to attend."

"Huh. How come it wasn't _this_ year?"

Angeal didn't respond. He had been wondering the same thing.

_The series will go on! If there's more of something in particular you'd like to see in this series (a pairing or a character, for example), let me know and I'll do my best!_


End file.
